Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): The government is calling on Thais who lack an identification card and have no formal nationality to join a DNA test programme to prove their Thai nationality.
Deputy government spokesman Kharom Polpornklang said the Provincial Administration Department has launched a project to test the DNA of stateless Thais so that they could be given ID cards and be eligible for all the rights of Thai citizens.
Kharom said the aim of the project is to help Thais become recognised as citizens even though they lack household registration and birth certificates.
The project is also aimed at helping Thais whose names have been on household registrations but who have been registered as stateless persons.
Kharom said that since the middle of last month district offices and household registration offices of local administrations nationwide began allowing stateless Thais to apply for citizenship.
Those eligible for free DNA tests to prove they are genetically Thai and so eligible for Thai citizenship fall under three groups:
- Those whose parents failed to seek their child’s birth certificates within deadlines
- Hilltribe people who seek Thai nationality
- Those who wish to change their status on household registrations from stateless to Thai.
Kharom said eligible persons must have a low income or underprivileged, and one of their parents must be identified as a Thai citizen on their household registration. Alternatively, their DNA must match that of a blood relative who has household registration. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
